Hand tool



1 ,604,675 W. A. BERNARD HAND TOOL Filed April 4. 1921 Patented Oct. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. BERNARD, or NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR To THE WILLI M SGHOLLHOBN COMPANY, on NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

HAND moor...

This invention relates to hand tools and more particularly to a nail setting tool which is, adapted to position, and drive a nail in relatively inaccessible places where it is difficult or impossible to use a hammer or other tool for this purpose. -While my improved tool may be found .particularly useful by cobblers in the driving of nails in the heels of shoes where it is difiicult to position the nail withthe fingers and drive it by the ordinary cobblers hammer, it will be obvious that my improvements will be ofbroader application and that such a tool as I have provided may be found desirable in driving a nail in any place which relatively inaccessible. c y

One object of my invention is to provide a tool ofthe character described by which a nailmay be positionedand driven in a location otherwise inaccessible.

Another object of my invention isthe provision of a tool which will have in combination means for positioning the nail Where'it is desired to-drive the same. and means to drive it into the work. i

A still further object of my invention is to provide a tool of the class described having jaws which will support a nail in up.- right position, so thatit neednot beheld by the fingers while being. driven and which are yieldably expansible to release the nail when the same is driven into the work. 7

A still further object-of my invention is to provide a tool with a hollow end portion into which a nail'may be inserted, so

that it will project from the end of the tool, but will be yieldably retained therein by contact of the jaws of the toolwith the enlarged end or head of the nail, the jaws spreading when the nail is driven between them by a driving plunger which forms a part of my improved tool. y

To these and other endsthe invention consists in the novel features and combinations 7 of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed. I

, In the accompanying drawings: I Fig. 1is a side elevational View of apail settin t o mbody s-mv mpr v m n Fig. 2 is a.longitudinalsectional VlGW OiE into the work thereby;

1921. Serial No. 458,223.

the same showing the driving plunger in raised position; 7

Fig; 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2shofwing the driving and a nail which has been completely driven l is a transverse sectional view on the line 4 4; of Fig. 2;

Fig. :5 is a transverse sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 2; and i i Figs ti and 'Z are detail longitudinal sectional views of the lower end portion of the tool showing a nail supported in different positions therein. Y

Although it will be obvious that the'prin ciples of my invention may be embodied in means other than those shown, I have chosen to illustrate a preferred form of my invention as embodying an elongated body member 10, which is provided with a longitudinal plunger in its lowered position opening ,or bore 11 extending entirely therepresented in the drawing consists of a I plunger 13 of suitable material such as cold rolled steel or the like, which is provided at its upper end with a knob 14 or the like by which it may be operated. The driving plunger 10 has set into oneside thereof a set screw 15, the head of which projects into the slotted opening 12 and thus guides the driving plunger in its movement. It will be obvious that as shown in Fig. 2 the upward movement of the plunger willl be limited by the contact of this screw with the upper end of the longitudinal slot 12 so that it will not be possible toinadvertently withdraw the plunger from the body ofzthe tool when raising it preparatory to delivering the blow upon the nail. The lower end of the driving plunger 13 is somewhat reduced.

and hold the nail.

as shown at 16, and is provided with a punch member 17 which may be made of hard steel or some wearresisting material. Vhile this member may be formed integral with the punch itself, it is preferred to makeit in aseparate piece machined to fit in a socket 18 provided in the lower end of the plunger. The punch member may be driven into its socket and will be tightly retained therein during the operation of the tool. When made in this manner, it will be seen that if the punch member becomes worn or broken, it may be pulled or bored out and a new one provided in its place.

To the lower end of the body portion 10 is secured a tip portion 19, which .is provided with a longitudinal bore 20 which forms a continuation of the bore 11. The bore 20 is reduced at its lower end, as shown at 21, until it is in crosssectional area approximatelyequal to the head of the nail or tack which is intendedt'o be driven by the tool. The lower tip end of the portion 19 is provided with a small opening 22, which is in communication with the bore 21 and permits the body of the nail when placedwithin the bore to project'trom the lower end of the tool. as shown in Fig. 6. The tip 19 is provided with a plurality of cuts or slits 23, which, in this instance, are three in number'and which extend upwardly from the opening 22, so that resilient or yieldable jaws 2e are provided to surround The member 19 may, of course, be formed in one piece with the body member 10, as it is secured rigidly thereto, but I have preferred to show this member as formed separately and provided with a threaded upper end which will engage withcorresponding threads formed atthe lower portion of the bore 11. It is seen that the openings or bores 11, 2O andQl are all injalignment' with each other and e i tend through the'body of the tool which is open at both ends, the lower opening v22 permitting the passage of the nail therethrough when thevyieldable'jaws spread to permit such passage and the upper opening permitting the "operation of the. driving plunger therethrough. The member 19 maybe made of anysuitable material which may be tempered so that resilient jaws may be provided by theacuts or slits23j At 25 I'have shown a nail in different position in relation to the tool and the work 26.into which the nail is to be driven. "As shown the work consists of the heel of a ladys shoe, which is usually secured by relatively The operation of my deviceis as follows: As shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, a nail whichis intended to be driven by the tool :is insertedthrough the slot 12 into thebore 11 of the tool. The nail slips down-immediatcly to the position shown in Fig. 6 as the yieldable jaws are usually sufiiciently spread to permit the body of the nail to pass through the opening 22 the jaws retaining with the work and held me vertical position therein, as shown in Fig. 7 The tool is now in position to deliver a stroke upon the nail to drive it into the heel of the shoe. In'Fig, 1, the nail is shown as partially driven into the shoe and the plunger being withdrawn upwardly for another stroke, while in Fig.8 the nail is shown as completely driven into the ivork and the plunger, as shown, is sufficiently long so that the driving punch member extends down between the jaws and in contact with the enlarged head of the nail after it has been expelled from the jaws of the tool. As shown in that figure,'these jaws not only spread to allow the passage of the head of the nail therethrough, but also to permit the passage of a short length of the punch mem- 381 17.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention, it will be understood that I am not to be limited to the details shown, but that the same is capable of various modifications and modifications which will fall within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims. i I

hat I claim'is: 1. A one piece hollow tip for a naildriving tool or the like having a solid upper portion adapted to be secured to a driving mechanism-and a slit springable lower portion, said lower portion being provided with a bore slightly larger in diameter than the body of the nail to be driven, whereby the nail is retained within the tip, and a second bore extending from the first mentioned bore upwardly substantially the length of the nail and of a diameter slightly larger than the head of the nail wherein the nail is supported in a vertical position.

2. A tip or nail box for a nail driving too]. having a non-resilient upper portion and aresiliently jawed lower portion, said jaw portion having a bore in the end thereof of a diameter slightly larger than the nail body, a bore connecting therewith slightly larger indiameter than the nail head and a boreiin the upper end'of the jaw portion continuing through the non-resilient portion of the tip of still larger diameter.

3. In a nail driving tool or the like, means to retain a nail therein during the driving operation, including a springable jawed member providedwith a. bore in the lowereter than the body of the nail to be driven, a bore above and concentric with said first mentioned bore, adapted to slidingly re ceive the driving plunger of said tool, and a bore intermediate said first and second mentioned bores in connection with and concentric to both, said intermediate bore being of a diameter slightly larger than the head of the nail to be driven wherein the nail is supported substantially in align- 10 ment and concentric to the driving plunger 01'' said tool.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 2nd day of April, 1921.

WILLIAM A. BERNARD. 

